BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
Since Mr. George Kerns took over as the CEO of Breitling, the brand has seen a massive transformation. While Existing models have been refined and updated, there have also been some intriguing new releases such as the Breitling Premier B01 chronograph. Launched recently in 2018, this new watch offers a more pared down look as compared to the iconic Navitimer and now the brand has introduced a special limited edition of this watch called the Premier B01 chronograph 42 Wheels and Waves to celebrate the world-class surfing, motorcycle racing and skateboarding festival held every year since June 2012 in Biarritz.
The watch features a clean and balanced look thanks to its twin register layout. The base dial has been presented in a nice shade of grey with a sunburst finish which is complemented by the highly contrasting sub-registers at 3 and 9 in black/white. Surrounding the subdials are applied golden baton style hour markers which give the dial a nice sense of depth and to make things interesting Breitling has added a red printed minute track towards the inside of the markers giving the watch an extra dash of sportiness and a unique look as compared to the regular version of the B01 chronograph. Finally, there is a white tachymeter scale which sits on the outer periphery of the dial.
Measuring 42mm wide and 13.65mm tall, the case of this watch is nicely sized for a modern chronograph. It is well finished and offers good a mix of brushed and polished surfaces. The right-hand side of the case is flanked by the chronograph pushers and a nicely knurled crown at 3, whereas the left side has a screwed side plate with a Breitling Special inscription. There is a sapphire crystal on both front and back and the case is water resistant to a healthy 100 meters.
Powering the watch is Breitling’s B01 Caliber. This is an automatic column-wheel based chronograph movement which operates at a frequency of 4Hz and offers a power reserve of around 70 hours. The movement is COSC certified to ensure high accuracy and can be viewed in all its glory through the exhibition case back.
The Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Wheels and Waves Limited edition is a handsome looking watch with a nice sporty twist. The watch would come attached to a brown nubuck leather strap and would be available in two different variations: A stainless version limited to 500 pieces priced at CHF 7,700 and a red gold version limited to 100 pieces priced at CHF 22,500.
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